


Tie 'em in a Knot Like a Hangman's Noose

by equalopportunityobsessor



Series: So You Were Never a Saint, and I've Loved in Shades of Wrong [5]
Category: Elementary (TV)
Genre: A few spoilers, Drabble, F/M, Friendship, Gen, Joan-Centric, S02:E16, mostly it just won't make sense if you haven't seen the episode yet, really minor though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-02
Updated: 2014-03-02
Packaged: 2018-01-14 01:25:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1247488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/equalopportunityobsessor/pseuds/equalopportunityobsessor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Joan isn't bothered by the assumption that she belongs to Sherlock. She knows the truth.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tie 'em in a Knot Like a Hangman's Noose

Joan doesn’t mind (much) when people assume she's Sherlock's assistant. In fact (and it surprises her as much as the next person) she thinks she might kind of like it. Of course, there's always the little part of her that relishes the chance to show it off - to be allowed the opportunity to crush the latest extra in the drama that is her life with the vulgarity of their assumptions.

She has the shiniest toy in this sand box, and she damn well knows it.

She rarely does, however. She lets them have their petty victories, lets them hold on to their self-validating condescensions. She prefers it that way. It means that _this,_ her partnership, her other half, is just _hers._ It's a secret she is honoured to keep, an illusion she delights in maintaining.

Sherlock is a miracle, and he is hers to keep, for exactly as long as he allows himself to be kept.

Joan watches from around the doorway as Sherlock works another one of his miracles, and has to stop herself from throwing herself on him and kissing him senseless as a reward. For a man who clings so stubbornly to his 'otherness', his separation from the plebeian hoards of 'normal people', he has frequent moments of such astonishing sweetness that Joan is constantly reminded of why she puts up with him at all.

Joan practically flees the room as Remus and Romulus cluck placidly at each other, an indulgent Sherlock looking on. She climbs the stairs all the way to the roof, too out of control to even fake her way through the proper motions of hostessing for Lestrade - let Sherlock handle it, for once.

She curls herself into the battered chair in front of the beehives; it rocks precariously under her as her weight settles, but it holds out for one more day. Given the amount of time both she and Sherlock spend up here, one would think they'd have invested in better chairs - but something stops her every time she considers it.

Joan sits for a while, watching the _Euglossa watsonia_ clamber over each other, buzzing gently. If she's grinning like a madwoman the entire time… Well. It's not like the bees are going to tell on her. 

**Author's Note:**

> "So if the ties that bind ever do come loose, tie 'em in a knot like a hangman's noose, 'cause I'll go to heaven or I'll go to hell before I'll see you with someone else"
> 
> From "Better Dig Two" by The Band Perry. As always, thanks for reading! Extra special thanks for any comments, they really mean a lot to me!
> 
> Also, I realize that this episode happened in the middle of winter, and that the bees would be doing whatever bee-thing it is they do in the winter (hibernate? I think?) but then I was like 'How weird is it gonna be if Joan is just in her room thinking lovey-dovey thoughts about Sherlock and smiling to herself... Very weird. Bees it is. MAGIC!" and then the episode was set in the summer. Sorry?


End file.
